You've Got Mail
by ilovetvalot
Summary: When Emily begins getting unsigned emails, she wants to know her secret admirer's identity. Hilarity and hijinks ensue within the BAU Family. Can you identify her mystery man before she does? Story will update twice a week.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: Hello, wonderful readers. We have just a few announcements for everyone today.**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Second, we also have a new fortune cookie prompt for you at the forum compliments of our "Fortune Cookie Friday post (Sorry, we forgot to advertise it yesterday). And we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" the following: -Sweetheart.X, LostinOblivion, MissAmieB, nebula2 and JazziePerson. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**Many thanks to everyone still reading these stories. We really appreciate you. Now, on with the show!**_

* * *

**You've Got Mail**

**Chapter One**

"You've got mail," a disembodied voice announced.

Turning her head sharply as she eyed her laptop perched on the far cushion of her sofa, Emily Prentiss quickly swallowed the hot chocolate in her mouth. Sighing heavily as she trudged back to her computer, she shook her head. When the hell didn't she have mail?

It was never anything she wanted to read...probably another missive from her mother ordering her to yet another social function she did NOT want to attend. Or some advertisement for the latest miracle vitamin to hit the market and guaranteed to provide her with untold energy in order the conquer every germ that would be attacking her in the coming flu season.

Scanning the screen she saw the address in her inbox. . Now that wasn't a name already on her friends list. Narrowing her eyes, she clicked on the message.

_Dear Emily,_

_I know you're not the type of woman that would particularly enjoy having a secret admirer, but I couldn't remain silent any longer. I've admired you from afar for longer than I feel comfortable admitting. Your inner strength and beauty, your poise and dignity...your absolute grace under pressure...they are just a few of the qualities that captivate me._

_You're probably wondering who this is...who is devious enough to try to interest you thru a vague and anonymous email. I don't blame you. Unfortunately, I simply don't have the courage to face you yet. I will say that you know me better most days than I know myself. And if I know YOU at all, even now, your fingers are itching to call Garcia and put a trace on this email._

_Don't bother. I've left invisible footprints. You see, I, too, am in awe of Penelope's skill...and took actions to eliminate my technological identity from detection. Of course, knowing you, you won't take my word for it. Can't say as I blame you. We can never be too careful in our line of work, can we?_

_My hope in sending this to you is that, perhaps, we could develop a dialogue impersonally...and find out if we have as much in common as I hope we do. Telling you who I am before that time might jeopardize our friendship, and I never want to do that. I've lost in the game of love before and I'm not anxious to put myself on the firing line again unless I have an adequate chance for survival._

_So, I guess my only hope at the moment is that you reply to this email...and perhaps simply take a chance on getting to know an already established friend better._

_I hope to hear from you soon._

_FBI Man_

Blinking rapidly as she re-read the message for the third time, Emily swallowed. Okay, obviously someone had watched "You've Got Mail" one too many times. Frowning, she realized that whoever had sent the message was in possession of her highly protected, _confidential _email address. Only her mother and a few chosen friends, her team among them, had that coveted addy.

Which one of her so-called friends had set out to drive her insane tonight?

Quickly moving her mouse to hover over the reply tab, she clicked. "Who is this?" she typed quickly, hitting send before she could convince herself to do otherwise.

The response was almost instantaneous.

_That would be telling. You'll figure it out in good time. Let's get to know each other better first._

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she fumed aloud, glaring at the screen as if she could use some form of superpower to divine the answers she so desperately needed. Quickly typing out a reply, it read simply, "I have all the friends I need. Thank you."

Again, the forthcoming reply was momentary.

_But, Emily, we're already friends. That won't change...at least, I sincerely hope not. The problem is that in my capacity as your friend, I'm concerned that that's all you'll ever see me as._

Groaning, Emily's lips compressed as she read the screen. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she prepared her reply: If you're truly a friend, you know I have very little tolerance for games. Show yourself!

Again, her admirer's reply was startlingly prompt.

_And here I thought you'd always enjoyed a good game of chess. With your upbringing, cat and mouse should be a way of life, shouldn't it? Again, Emily, I'm not trying to be cryptic. Just cautious, much like yourself. Give this a chance between us. I'm logging off, but I'll try again tomorrow. Hopefully you'll feel more talkative then. Until then, take care and sleep well. And believe it or not, we'll be seeing each other tomorrow._

Staring at the glowing screen as she read the final reply from her anonymous admirer, Emily seethed. Okay, it was official. She despised this so-called golden age of technology. She should simply set up a new email. Of course, if this _was_ legitimate interest on the other end of the internet, whoever had her current email address would eventually have any potential alternate one as well.

Sighing, she reached for the phone and quickly dialed the only internet guru she knew, despite his...at least she assumed it was a him...warning to the contrary. Hearing Garcia pick up, Emily cut to the chase.

"PG? It's Emily. I need you to do me a big favor," she requested, her voice pleading as she clenched the phone tighter.

Yawning on the other end of the phone, Garcia blinked sleepily. "Emily?" she asked groggily. "What's up, Buttercup?" she asked, sitting up in bed.

"I'm forwarding you an email that I just received tonight. Can work your amazing mojo and find me the sender?"

"Does a bear crap in the woods?" Pen grinned, rubbing her eyes . "Do birds sing in the spring? Do ..."

"I get it, I get it," Emily interrupted on a light chuckle, rolling her eyes at her pal's theatrics. "You're a goddess. I forgot for a sec."

"Do not make that mistake again, mere mortal," Pen admonished, yawning again as she shoved her feet into her Kermit the Frog slippers and padded into her living room toward her computer. Tapping her keyboard, she bent to peer at her screen. "Okay, I got your email," Pen said, shoving the phone between her shoulder and her ear and using both hands to type.

Holding her breath, Emily waited as she listened to the distant tapping of the computer and Pen's occasional hums of discontent. "Finding anything?" Em asked after a few minutes of PG's muttered curses.

"I'll be dilly-dogged," Pen grumbled, frowning heavily at her screen. "I can't trace it...this little bugger has outwitted the goddess."

"That's not possible, is it?" Emily asked, her eyebrows arching.

"Have no fear, no lowly hacker can outrun me forever," Pen growled, still tapping. "Go to bed, Peaches," she ordered, her eyes narrowing to slits as she furiously tapped on her keyboard. "I shall have your mystery man's identity by sunrise."

"You're sure?" Emily questioned doubtfully, her earlier assurances in the technical genius' skills fading slightly.

"Or my name isn't Penelope Garcia," Pen nodded, gnawing on her lower lip as she focused on tracking this pesky e-mailer.

"Keep this on the QT, okay, PG?" Emily warned, not wanting to make her little search into an international incident.

"My lips are sealed," Pen agreed, still tapping as she hatched a plan in her mind to entrap her culprit. "Nite, nite."

And as Emily hung up the phone, an odd thrill went down her spine as she imagined learning her mystery man's identity.

One thing was certain; she really needed to get a social life.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: Hello, wonderful readers. I hope everyone in the good ole US of A remembered to adjust their clocks for daylight savings time. (I didn't). At any rate, we have just a few announcements for everyone today.**_

_**IMPORTANT: WE HAVE 19 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE! LET'S ALL GET MOTIVATED!**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Second, we also have a new fortune cookie prompt for you at the forum compliments of our "Fortune Cookie Friday post (Sorry, we forgot to advertise it yesterday). And we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" the following: b-mystique, Nagen66, Monkeywand, and Hidge. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**Many thanks to everyone still reading these stories. We really appreciate you. Now, on with the show!**_

* * *

**You've Got Mail**

**Chapter Two**

Tuesday morning dawned full of bright sunshine and the crisp, cool weather that defined the perfect fall day. Unfortunately, Emily Prentiss was on a mission...one that didn't allow her the time to appreciate the beauty of autumn.

She had bigger fish to fry. And that involved catching a cagey culprit of the technological variety. And she needed a single woman to aide her in that mission. Casting a suspicious glare around the bullpen at her assorted colleagues as she shoved her purse in her desk, she silently seethed. One of these intrepid fools had actually sought to yank her chain and if it was the last thing she did, she'd find a way to choke him with it.

But before she could enjoy that privilege, she had to gain the identity of her pseudo-stalker. And Garcia's guru-like skills held that key.

Hurrying down the corridor toward her friend's office, Emily tried to ignore the feeling that she was being watched. That had to be her imagination, right? Barely stopping to knock on Pen's closed door, Emily didn't bother waiting for the analyst to invite her in.

"Well," Emily grinned, fully expecting PG to have the name of her secret admirer at the ready for her as she closed the door behind her.

Lifting her head morosely, Penelope eyed her best bud tiredly. "I need to change my name," she muttered before hanging her colorful head in defeat. "I have no clue who sent this, Em," she grumbled, jabbing an angry finger at the screen as if the monitor was to blame for her inability to crack the code.

"What?" Em yelped, shocked. Garcia did not fail. She didn't even know the definition of the word 'failure'. It wasn't possible. "You mean that you've got nothing?"

"I didn't say that," Pen mumbled, eyeing her computer screen angrily. "I recognize this style. Every computer genius has certain trademark moves that they use that identify them. And I know these sticky electronic fingerprints as well as I know my own name," she growled around her coffee cup.

"So you DO know who my admirer is?" Emily said excitedly, virtually vibrating with the need to know now that hope had once again been restored.

"I sure the hell better not," Garcia spat, slamming her red coffee cup to her desk. "Because if I do know what I pray that I don't, I'm going to commit the most public homicide in FBI history."

"Why?" Emily sputtered, barely stopping herself from taking a step backward to escape the woman's anger.

"Because it means that you're secret suitor is MY boyfriend!" Pen yelled. "These are trademark Kevin Lynch duck and weaves," she explained, throwing her hand at the glowing computer monitor.

"No," Emily breathed, shaking her head vigorously. "He couldn't. He WOULDN'T," she said quickly.

"He better not have," Pen virtually shrieked, throwing an aggrieved glance at her computer. "But these footprints don't lie. I know my love bunny...or my former love bunny as the case may be." Pushing herself to her feet, she jerked her head toward the door. "Let's go."

"Wh-where?" Emily faltered, blindly following her friend.

"To visit the lion in his own den of iniquity," Penelope muttered under her breath.

Watching as Garcia stomped down the hallway, every step filled with purpose, Emily gulped. Penelope Garcia was a woman on a mission...one even more volatile than her own.

God help them all!

**/***/**

"Honey Bear," Kevin Lynch shook his head frantically as Garcia blocked the doorway and his way of escape, "You have to believe me...it wasn't me! I've been faithful! Physically, spiritually AND technologically! You know I'd never risk the love of my one true love," he pleaded, holding out his arms toward her.

"Then explain, Kevin," Penelope barked, her hands planted on her ample hips. "Or else, I'm going to be forced to start ripping the heads off Storm Troopers and assorted other members of the Star Wars realm," she said, plucking a vintage Star Wars figurine from Kevin's collection on his desk and twirling it between to florescent green painted fingertips.

"It's complicated, Sweetums," Kevin gulped, watching as his love's eyes sparkled dangerously.

Snapping the white head off the figure in her hands, Penelope reached for Han Solo next. "That's one. Han gets it next...and you don't wanna know what happens if I get to Luke Skywalker."

"I'd suggest simplifying things really quickly, Kev," Emily murmured watching as Pen popped the arm off the little figure she held in her hands. "I think Garcie's willing to take on the entire alliance to get her answers," she warned.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Kevin lifted a shaky hand to his sweaty brow, swiping it half-heartedly. Gulping, he opened his eyes to stare into his lover's eyes. "You're my Lucky Penny, sweetie. I could never betray you."

"But those ARE you're patented moves that I ran into on the computer, aren't they?" Penelope grilled him, her eyes narrowing dangerously as she tossed the headless figure from one hand to the other.

"Yes," Kevin nodded slowly. "But it's not what you think. You're the only woman for me," he insisted valiantly.

"So, you're aiding and abetting the guy interested in me," Emily mused, narrowing her gaze on the sweating man.

"I plead the fifth," Kevin said faintly, scooting back in his chair as both women advanced, wondering if he would be able to convince the Bureau to up his life insurance in the coming minutes.

"We're not in a court of law, Kevin," Emily said softly, her voice calm and even.

"Then I reserve my right to remain silent," he yelped as Pen dropped Han Solo to the desk and grabbed his ear.

"Squeal, piggy, squeal!" she ordered sternly, twisting the flexible lobe between her fingers.

"Ouch! Lemmee go," Kevin whimpered, batting at Garcia's unforgiving fingers. "I can't, Penny! I wanna, but I can't!"

"Why not, Kevin?" Emily asked patiently, her lips twitching at the couple's theatrics. Hell, this was better than a live comedy show.

"Yes, Kevin," Garcia said, her voice filled with malicious intent, "Do tell us, why not, my internet icon."

Staring up into Penelope's fiery gaze, Kevin stuttered, "My goddess, you know that I'd never do anything to intentionally invoke your sizeable wrath..."

"And yet, you _have_," Garcia hissed, tugging his ear for emphasis.

"...but the gentleman in question is a force in and of himself. And, incidentally, he carries a really, REALLY big gun!"


	3. Chapter 3

_**Author's Note: Hello, wonderful readers. At any rate, we have just a few announcements for everyone today.**_

_**IMPORTANT: WE HAVE 14 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE! LET'S ALL GET MOTIVATED!**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Thank you to everyone taking the time to vote and avertise for us. We appreciate each and every one of you. The responses are starting to roll in and we have a tight race running in several categories. Let your opinion be heard. It is not necessary to vote in EVERY category. If you only read certain pairings, feel free to only vote in those areas. The important thing is to vote.**_

_**Second, we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" the following: b-mystique, Nagen66, Monkeywand, and Hidge. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**Many thanks to everyone still reading these stories. We really appreciate you. Now, on with the show!**_

* * *

**You've Got Mail**

**Chapter Three**

"Kevin," Emily drawled, moving her hand to rest against the holster of her gun, the implication clear, "In case you missed it, I, too, wear a rather prominent firearm."

"Yeah, but I'm hoping the benevolent goddess here will influence you into allowing it to stay exactly where it is," Kevin replied with an audible gulp, glancing hopefully up at the woman he loved.

"You're in more danger of me pulling it myself right now, Love Muffin," Pen snarled in disgust, abruptly releasing his ear and taking a step back. Crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at him, she shook her head. "I can't believe you're a part of this. Tell us who the secret admirer is."

"No can do, ladies," Kevin informed them regretfully, his shoulders rising and falling with a weak shrug. "Under threat of my untimely demise, I must remain mum on the topic." There was no way in hell he was falling for any of their sneaky tricks. He had been warned, after all.

"Even to me?" Garcia gaped, amazed that her normally malleable boy toy had magically grown a spine, evidently overnight. She had not allowed this! He was obviously no longer under her control!

"Especially to you, Pumpkin," Kevin said grimly. "These lips," he said, pointing to his face, "are zipped," he said, his hand gesture indicating as much.

"Seriously?" Emily growled, rolling her eyes in disgust. "Can't you do something, PG?" she asked, glancing toward her friend.

"Oh, there's plenty I could do, Peaches. Unfortunately none of it is legal," Garcia said, glowering at her boyfriend.

Breathing deeply, Emily ran a hand down her face. "At least tell me why this guy wishes to remain anonymous, Kev," she demanded impatiently.

"I believe his prior email already indicated that answer," Kevin said, unzipping his proverbial lips.

"Aha!" Emily said excitedly, pointing at Penelope's mate of the moment. "So, it IS definitely a man."

Wincing, Kevin gulped. "You tricked me!" he accused, crossing his arms over his chest. "Are you TRYING to get me shot?" he asked, his voice a high pitched wail.

"If I wanted to shoot you, you'd already have a bullet hole," Emily grumbled, pacing Kevin's small office as she attempted to find answers to questions she hadn't even determined yet.

"Okay," Garcia said, stepping between the guy she loved...well, at least the guy she usually loved... and her best friend, "Confirm that it's a guy, Kev."

"Well, it's not you," Kevin frowned. "And as pretty as JJ is, I think the dark hair would look better in the wedding photos."

Eyes widening, Emily turned sharply to face Lynch. "Wait! Are you telling me that this guy is a member of my TEAM? And he's dark haired?"

"And he carries a really big gun," Pen added, clucking her tongue against the roof of her mouth as her eyes narrowed.

Flushing, Kevin looked between the two women. "Look, I didn't say ANYTHING! Lots of people have dark hair! And Reid carries a gun, too. Have you ever seen the guy at the shooting range? The people behind the freaking safety glass duck! I'd know, I've been one of the poor souls who's had to dodge his aim before!"

"But, Reid doesn't have dark hair, does he, Stud?" Penelope smirked confidently at Kevin, wagging a knowing finger in his direction.

"Crap," Kevin sputtered, growing more flustered with every passing second. "You two need to go," he said, gesturing wildly at his office door. "Otherwise, I'm going to be cut up into tiny pieces and fed to the fishies."

"Oooohhh...a Godfather reference," Garcia said, looking meaningfully at Emily. "Who do we know that has that hot Italian blood?"

"That doesn't MEAN anything," Kevin yelped, shaking his head emphatically, wondering once again how he had allowed himself to be caught in the middle of a disaster that could easily take him as the next victim.

"Well, my little pudding cup, we only have three dark-haired contenders on our intimate little team...all of which are distinctly male...unless they're really good at hiding something, that is," Pen theorized, arching one manicured brow heavenward.

"What?" Kevin balked. "I NEVER said he, she or it was on your team," he denied, growing more frenzied as his heart pounded beneath his chest.

"You don't have to," Emily replied, cocking her head as she studied Kevin's mottled face. "The only people with my personal email address that fit the male and dark-haired variety are on my team."

"Oh, crap," Kevin said weakly, sagging in his chair. "I'm dead. Dead, dead, dead..."

"Not necessarily," Penelope crooned, moving closer to the nervous man she'd deigned to love. "You could solve all your problems right now and simply divulge this person's identity. I'm sure Emily and I could protect you from whatever puny punishment he comes up with...and I'd certainly be willing to absolve you of your wrong-doing in refusing to cooperate immediately with us that way."

Lips twisting as he fidgeted indecisively in his chair, Kevin finally shook his head, resolved. "Nope. Sorry. Nuh uh," he shook his head. "I'm gonna have to choose to keep my mouth shut, ladies. I still figure I'm safer with you than if I rat out my fellow man."

"You're choosing to be 'one of the guys'? Over me?" Penelope said, her voice dangerously soft. "You do remember, of course, that I'm the one sleeping with you on a regular basis."

"I do," Kevin nodded vigorously. "But in order to do that, I have to have a pulse...which I won't if I continue opening my big mouth."

"Kev," Penelope groaned, stomping her pink-and-purple clad foot, "I demand you tell me what you know."

Shaking his head mutely, Kevin compressed his lips together in a tight line, looking defiantly from one woman to the other.

Snorting, Penelope waved a hand at Kevin as she spoke to Emily. "Great! He's doing his impression of a clam! Gimmee that gun," she commanded imperiously, holding out her hand.

Choking back a laugh as she watched Kevin Lynch's eyes dilate, Emily shook her head. "I've got a better idea," she said with a sidelong smile at Garcia.

"Better than putting matching holes in each of his kneecaps for his flagrant disregard of our feelings?" Garcia growled, eyeing Kevin with venom filled eyes.

"My way won't land us in jail," Emily shrugged as the man in question tried to roll his chair a few inches further away.

"Start talking," Garcia offered grudgingly, grabbing the back of Kevin's escape module, halting his less-than-stealthy maneuvers.

"I say that we take our questions to the source or sources, as the case may be," Emily said smoothly, watching as Kevin's Adam's apple bobbed.

And watching as her bold boyfriend blanched, Garcia grinned widely. "Why, Agent Prentiss, I like your style."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: Hello, wonderful readers. At any rate, we have just a few announcements for everyone today.**_

_**IMPORTANT: TIME IS RUNNING OUT!**_

_**WE HAVE 12 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE! LET'S ALL GET MOTIVATED!**_

_**First, please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming three weeks and VOTE for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your vote be heard and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**_

_**Thank you to everyone taking the time to vote and advertise for us. We appreciate each and every one of you. The responses are starting to roll in and we have a tight race running in several categories. Let your opinion be heard. It is not necessary to vote in EVERY category. If you only read certain pairings, feel free to only vote in those areas. The important thing is to vote.**_

_**Free one-shots to the next five people to cast their votes...any pairing and three prompts of your choosing (I'll use two!). Let's all get on the ball and have some fun!**_

_**Second, we also have great new interviews with several of our nominees. Today, we are "getting to know" specerfan109. More interviews are coming soon!**_

_**And we just want to take an extra moment to let our readers know how much we enjoy hearing from them, so please, take a second and shoot us a private message or review. We'd love to hear from you!**_

* * *

**You've Got Mail**

**Chapter Four**

They bracketed him, prisoner-style, a hand on each of his arms as they escorted down the corridor to the war room. All he lacked were the shackles on his wrists and ankles. It would have been a nice touch, if you asked Emily. And maybe a gag, too...Kevin Lynch's monotonous whining was threatening to rob her of the last of her sanity.

Pausing outside the closed door, Emily Prentiss gazed at the accomplice of her daunting nemesis. "One last chance before I'm forced to humiliate four grown men on their home turf. Just tell me who my so-called admirer is and this all stops," she offered magnanimously, gentling and softening her voice in deference to the agents walking past their small group.

"Emily, please," Kevin begged, his voice cracking as he glanced around in wide-eyed worry. "Have mercy," he pled, shifting his eyes from her to his girlfriend.

"She's offering you mercy," Pen retorted, nodding to Emily's implacable face. Pointing to herself, she added, voice menacing, "I'm offering you endless pain if you keep this up."

"My glorious one," Kevin beseeched, "I want to tell you everything, but I swore a solemn oath to keep my vow of silence."

"What you did was aid and abet the enemy," Penelope snapped waspishly, tapping her foot impatiently against the industrial carpeting of the hallway.

"He's not the enemy," Kevin said, coming to the defense of Emily's secret admirer. Looking at Emily with soft, dark eyes, Kevin said seriously, "Give him a chance, Emily. You won't be sorry. I can guarantee it."

"Kevin, no offense, but I'm not putting a whole lot of faith in your opinion at the moment," Emily snorted even as something in Kevin's tone tugged at her heartstrings.

"I was afraid of that," he yelped as Garcia abruptly opened the door and shoved him inside the room.

Following Penelope and her obstinate lover inside the room, Emily closed the door firmly behind them before turning to survey the room. Five faces surrounded their worn wooden table, responding to her imperious summons of fifteen minutes prior and currently, each one stared at her with differing levels of curiosity. Opening her mouth to speak, she was interrupted by Kevin's frantic voice.

"Listen, guys...I've told them nothing! Nothing!" he insisted, his voice rising in pitch as he met the eyes of her teammates.

"Does anybody here know what the egghead's talking about?" Dave asked, looking around the table.

"Not at the moment," Hotch murmured, arching one eyebrow as he turned his head toward Emily expectantly. "Prentiss? Any particular reason you've gathered us all here during our workday?"

"Hey, I'll take any opportunity at all to avoid those forms on my desk," Morgan shrugged carelessly, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms behind his head. "Feel free to take all the time you need explaining."

"I've finished mine," Reid smiled easily, propping his elbows on the table. "So I'm free."

"Kissass," Morgan snickered, kicking his cohort underneath the table.

"Ouch," Reid winced, rubbing his shin. "It's not my fault that you choose to procrastinate on a regular basis."

"Boys," Hotch murmured, frowning at them both. "I believe Agent Prentiss was just explaining why we're gathered here."

"And if you could just tell me how I'm involved, I'd appreciate it," JJ inserted quickly, smiling regretfully at Emily. "I've got a meeting with Strauss."

"We're here because my perky profiling pal evidently has a secret admirer sitting inside this room," Garcia said, waving Emily's printed emails in the air.

Eyes widening, JJ brightened, picking up her Blackberry from the table. "The meeting can be moved. I'm not missing this."

Emily watched as all eyes at the table automatically moved to Rossi.

Holding up his hands, Dave shook his head. "Don't look at me, folks. First, I prefer a more direct approach. Second, I don't know jack about computers."

"Which leads to my little lug's presence at this impromptu meeting of the minds," Garcia growled, grabbing the back of Kevin's shirt and thrusting him forward. "One of you has also coerced my formerly innocent Care Bear into assisting in your nefarious plans. Evidently, you inspire more fear than I do in him," she said, looking from one masculine face to the next, "and that, I can NOT have! You, whoever you are, have now incurred my wrath."

Whistling, Morgan eyed Garcia warily. "Watch out, Boys...Mama's got that look in her eye," he warned under his breath.

"What look?" Reid asked absently, gazing at Garcia as if trying to read her mind.

"The one that says she's wondering how we'd look stuffed and mounted to her wall," Dave murmured drily. "Ex-wife number two had that look. Remember, Hotch?" he said, elbowing his friend.

"I wanna see," JJ said, snatching the sheet of paper out of Penelope's hand as Reid craned his head over JJ's shoulder.

"The writer is deliberately disguising his syntax," Reid hummed, reading the missive.

"Gee, ya think?" Emily drawled.

Frowning as JJ passed the paper toward him, Hotch scanned the contents. "Nothing threatening."

"Of course it isn't threatening," Emily retorted, throwing her hands in the air. "No one in this room would hurt me...though I can't say the same for the sender when I learn which one of you this is," she said, nodding toward the paper Dave now held. "Which one of you is playing games with me?" she said, sending a scathing look toward each face in the room.

"Not me," the men said in unison, shaking their heads as one.

"So you're all going to form a united front?" Garcia commented, crossing her arms over her chest.

Exchanging a look with Penelope, Emily faced the group. "I feel I should warn you that since you've all obviously decided to band together, Penelope, here," she said, jerking her head toward the fuming blonde, "will be investigating each one of you and your computer activity. She's going to ferret out the little weasel that's decided to toy with me."

"Yeah," Garcia threatened, obviously channeling the Wicked Witch of the West, "I going to get you, whoever you are...and your little laptop, too."

Seeing the confused countenances of his comrades, Kevin felt obligated to point out, "We've been on a little Wizard of Oz kick lately."

"Shut. Up," Pen bit out. "You're in enough trouble for becoming part of the resistance and we'll definitely be discussing your loyalty issues after work."

Looking from one furious feminine face to the other, Hotch schooled his features into a neutral mask despite his amusement. "Is that all, Prentiss?" he asked emotionlessly.

Narrowing her eyes on the Unit Chief, she tried to read his expression. Where the hell were her formidable profiling skills when she needed them? Crossing her arms over her chest, she nodded. "For now," she declared tersely. "I just wanted to be the first to forewarn you all...we're on the case."

"Consider us warned," Rossi snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Ya know," Morgan commented, glancing at the email that had finally made its way into his hand, "these online things are the wave of the future. I dated this chick a couple of years back when somebody," he said with a pointed look at Garcia, "signed me up for that thing...I gotta say, Em...she was a freaky-deaky in the boudoir. You might give whoever this is a shot."

"Thank you so much for your input, Morgan," Emily said dryly.

"And there is a certain safety in communicating via the computer," Reid agreed, looking at Emily with a clear gaze. "There's no pressure to look good."

"Are you saying I don't look good, Reid?" Emily said with a deceptively mild voice.

"I...uhmmm...I meant that..."

"Gag the kid, Morgan," Dave suggested with twinkling eyes. "Her hand's hovering a little too close to her gun."

"Nobody is shooting anyone," Hotch declared evenly as he moved toward the door. "I don't want the paperwork."

"Amen," JJ agreed on a sigh, shaking her head as she wondered how in the world her normally sane team had become fodder for a daytime talk show.

Look out, Jerry Springer, she thought tiredly….here we come!


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: My co-author and I would like to announce that our core stories (Sunday and Monday weekly publications) will be on hiatus for the weekend after Thanksgiving (an American Holiday on November 25, 2010). Due to familial obligations, we do believe there will be a week break on those ongoing stories. We will continue to publish one-shots and shorter stories through the holiday week.**

**Also, we're drawing near the close of our first annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ****EIGHT**** DAYS LEFT TO VOTE FOR OUR FAVORITE AUTHORS AND STORIES. Please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming days and ****VOTE**** for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your voice and vote be heard, and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude, and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**

**Want to win some free Christmas cash? We're giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to the 200th voter in the Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds ****Awards on FF. Net (funded entirely by the moderators). We have well over one hundred voters already, so who knows...you could be the 200th and win the awesome Amazon card!**

**Also...since we deeply appreciate everyone who has voted and will vote...we are also giving away another $5 gift card to a lucky voter that we will draw randomly. This could be voter number one..seventy-four...or three hundred! Both gift cards will be sent by email, so you don't have to share any personal information to claim your prize! We will notify the winners by PM when the awards are complete.**

**We also want to take a moment and remind all those participants that have signed up for the Criminal Minds Christmas Fic Gift Exchange that we have just over a month to complete our gifts and publish them for our recipients. If anyone has any questions, please contact us via private message.**

**And finally, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of our stories. We truly appreciate each review, favorite, alert and private message. It means a lot to us. Please let us continue to hear from each of you!**

* * *

**You've Got Mail**

**Chapter Five**

The slam of the door echoed in the room as Emily Prentiss preceded Garcia out. Each person remaining in the normally quiet room exchanged a telling look.

"That was close," Morgan breathed, eyeing the closed door warily, half-expecting Prentiss to storm back in brandishing her weapon and demanding answers. At this point in the proverbial ballgame, he wouldn't put anything past that woman.

"Too close," Reid breathed, awed by the anger he'd seen in both women.

"We knew that was a risk," David Rossi shrugged, casually leaning back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his dark head.

"I don't think I've ever observed that amount of anger before in either of them," Hotch commented, his dark eyes dancing.

"You realize that I'm going to disavow all knowledge of this little covert operation that you guys have going," JJ reminded them, cursing herself for stumbling into her teammates' office and overhearing their plans for this little ruse. "She's going to kill you, you know. On second thought, first she's going to let Garcia torture you for getting the upper hand, THEN she's going to kill you. Painfully," JJ stressed.

"I concur," Kevin stated, raising his hand weakly from where he was resting against the far wall.

"It'll be worth it," Dave replied, waving a negligent hand in the air, glancing around at his colleagues. "I only wish we'd taped this to replay later."

"At the wedding," Morgan grinned widely, wriggling his eyebrows.

"You hope," Reid pointed out logically. "You are aware, of course, that all this could all backfire."

"It won't. The plan is full proof as long as everyone plays their part," Hotch stated confidently.

"I'd like to point out that I never so much as had a drama class," Kevin said, waving his hand in the air. "I'm as transparent as glass, guys," he worried, his glasses sliding to the tip of his nose. "Eventually, Penny is gonna know."

"She'd better not," Dave threatened. "Or that new iPad we entrusted you with might be the instrument of your destruction."

"Yeah, I think my girlfriend may take care of that faster than any of you could," Kevin retorted, his eyes looking toward the door Garcia had stomped through. "You guys have known her longer than I have. You know what she's capable of."

"I do," Hotch agreed solemnly. "But I also know that this is excellent training for you, Kevin. Especially if you imagine a future with her."

"I'd say that future is in jeopardy, wouldn't you?" Kevin muttered, hanging his head.

"Not as much as your life is if you blab," Morgan smiled grimly. "Each one of us has put a lot of work into this plan, man. None of us are going to feel particularly generous if you screw it up now."

"I didn't," Kevin argued, raising his head to stare at the bald agent.

"And he won't, will you, Kevin?" Dave smiled, his teeth seeming more menacing than comforting. "You're going to stick to the plan with the rest of your men-at-arms, aren't you?"

"Yes, Agent Rossi," Kevin nodded, his face flushing under the elder man's scrutiny.

"See, the boy is reasonable," Dave nodded approvingly, gesturing toward Kevin's unhappy face.

"He looks more constipated than reasonable," Reid remarked, shaking his blonde head at the other man.

"Gee, thanks," Kevin grumbled. Looking around, he asked, "Exactly how long do we have to keep this up?"

"Until the time is right," Morgan answered easily. "We'll know, won't we, boys?"

"Only one of you really can answer that question," JJ said through pursed lips, eyeing that gentleman knowingly.

"And I hope he makes up his mind SOON," Kevin huffed, flopping into the nearby chair as he glared across the table.

"And on that note," Hotch said sagely, his tone even, "I think this meeting of the minds is officially adjourned."

**/***/**

Kicking off her low heeled pumps as she walked into her dim apartment, Emily Prentiss leaned against her closed front door.

Today had been hell.

Everywhere she'd gone after her meeting with her fellow colleagues in the war room, she had run into at least one smirking co-worker. Even Hotch, Mr. Stoicism himself, had been obviously amused at her discomfiture, damn him.

And the killer was that she was no closer to unearthing her admirer's identity than she had been when this farce of a day had begun. And she'd started with such high hopes, too.

But, things hadn't worked out as she planned; she remained clueless, still standing in the dark despite her and PG's best efforts. But that was a temporary condition, she reminded herself sternly. She'd find the light switch soon. But until she did, she thought as her stomach growled loudly, she needed to keep up her strength.

Pausing long enough to power on her laptop as she crossed her living room on the way to her kitchen, Emily wondered how long it would take her own personal unsub to make his move this evening.

She didn't have to wait long. Shoving her Hot Pocket into the microwave, she heard her computer announce, in what she whimsically thought was a smug manner, "You've got mail," merely ten minutes after her arrival home.

Lifting her face to the ceiling, she asked the tile, or God if he was listening, "Are you freaking kidding me here?"

But as the laptop insistently announced once more that she had mail, Emily knew that sound wasn't the product of her overactive imagination.

"You've got mail," she snidely mimicked, glaring at the laptop on the couch as she pulled her supper from the microwave.

Carrying her plate to the couch, she crossed her legs, Indian style, as she perched her dinner in her lap with one hand and pulled the computer toward her with the other. "Okay, you sneaky bastard," she muttered, eyeing the newest email from FBIlvr and tapping it open, "What do you have to say tonight?"

Scanning the message as she shoved a bite of food in her mouth, she choked as she read.

_Dear Emily,_

_I hope you're enjoying your evening so far. I must say, I was impressed by you today. Yet again, you showed me that, even as miffed as you were, you exhibited a stunning resolve. If we were adversaries, which, I'll remind you...we aren't...I would definitely consider you a worthy opponent. Fortunately, we're on the same side. A fact that I found myself grateful for on more than one occasion today._

_I suppose you figured out that we're closer than the average colleague today. You know me well. And I want to know you better. I propose a game, of sorts. And before you automatically deny me, which I know is your knee jerk reaction...may I remind you that this might help you ascertain my identity. _

_You never know...I might slip up and offer you that one clue you need to peg me._

_Think about it. I'll be online all night._

_I'll be thinking of you,_

_FBIlvr_

_p.s. Call Garcia if you like. Attempt to have her trace me. I'm sure Kevin can't dislike me any more than he already does, but it'll be interesting to know if his skills truly do match hers._

Shaking her head at the ballsy message, Emily Prentiss grudgingly admitted, if only to herself, she was now officially intrigued.


	6. Chapter 6

**Also, we're drawing near the close of our first annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards. WE CURRENTLY HAVE ****FOUR**** DAYS LEFT TO VOTE FOR OUR FAVORITE AUTHORS AND STORIES. Please remember to try and spare a few moments over the upcoming days and ****VOTE**** for your favorite authors and stories in the "Profiler's Choice Awards" at "Chit Chat on Author's Corner" forum. You have through the end of November 30, 2010 to let your voice and vote be heard, and we want to hear from each one of you. If you don't know much about forums, links can be found through either my profile (ilovetvalot) or my awesome co-author (tonnie2001969). Please send your votes to the PM listed in the rules (found on the forum) or your ballot can't be counted! Remember, anyone that wants to help advertise the awards has our unending gratitude, and there is also a short blurb you can use on our profile pages.**

**Want to win some free Christmas cash? We're giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to the 200th voter in the Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds ****Fanfic. net**** Awards (funded by the moderators). We have well over one hundred voters already, so who knows...you could be the 200th and win the awesome Amazon card!**

**Also...since we deeply appreciate everyone who has voted and will vote...we are also giving away another $5 gift card to a lucky voter that we will draw randomly. This could be voter number one..seventy-four...or three hundred! Both gift cards will be sent by email, so you don't have to share any personal information to claim your prize! We will notify the winners by PM when the awards are complete.**

**We also want to take a moment and remind all those participants that have signed up for the Criminal Minds Christmas Fic Gift Exchange that we have just over a month to complete our gifts and publish them for our recipients. If anyone has any questions, please contact us via private message.**

**We also have a new interview with fellow author, Laurella. Please check it out.**

**And finally, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of our stories. We truly appreciate each review, favorite, alert and private message. It means a lot to us. Please let us continue to hear from each of you!**

* * *

**You've Got Mail**

**Chapter Six**

Emily took a moment to mentally compose her reply before she began typing on her keyboard.

_FBIlvr,_

_A game? Don't you think we've played enough of those? Obviously not, based on your suggestion. But, if I decide to play, we play by my rules. I propose a question for a question, an answer for an answer. No subterfuge. After all, you were the one that invited me to play...the least you can do is abide by the guidelines of play._

_I can't deny that I find myself intrigued. After all, I've already gathered that you're a member of my team...which means that we already know each other. Fairly well. Why not just put our cards on the table and show our hand?_

_I know, I know...you don't want to jeopardize our friendship, but as you saw today, this friend is becoming particularly annoyed with the state of affairs._

_So, in that vein, I'll cut to the chase and go first. Tell me, mystery man, do you have children?_

_Waiting to hear from you..._

_Em_

Clicking send with one hand on her mouse, Emily reached for her cell phone with the other. It was more than likely a wasted effort, she thought, scrolling down and clicking on PG's name, but she had to try didn't she?

Hearing her friend pick up almost instantaneously, Emily went straight to the heart of her matter and got to the point behind her phone call. "He's on, PG," she stated in a hard voice, her eyes still glued to the screen.

"I'm on it, Buttercup," Pen chirped, her fingers already flying over her keyboard as she settled deeper into her chair. "I put a bug in your system to notify me if he emailed you. I've been chasing him, or rather, chasing my butthead boyfriend for the last ten minutes."

"So you'll call me if..."

"If I manage to nail this little turd's bushy tail to the wall? Yeah, I will," Penelope agreed cheerfully, her lips quirking as she tapped faster. "Just play his game a while longer, Peaches. I'm determined to prevail."

Groaning, Em nodded, letting her eyes close for a second. "I hope so."

"Oh, oh, oh...but, in a side note, I can officially tell you who this strange suitor is NOT," Pen offered. "Reid just walked through my door with a file in his hand. He's not online."

"So our suspicious four just got reduced to three," Emily smiled faintly, mentally marking off a name on her imaginary scorecard. The only problem was that they'd known all along that Spencer Reid wasn't a serious contender.

"Yep!" Garcia bobbed her head happily, winking at Reid.

"Okay," Emily nodded, eyeing her computer as it announced, "You've got mail." Clicking her message open, she sighed. "Call me if you get anything, Garcia."

"Will do," Garcia agreed, disconnecting.

Scanning the missive, Emily tamped down on her frustration as she read:

_Dear Emily,_

_Now, that would just be telling, wouldn't it? Honestly, you would think that you'd know the men you work with well enough to realize that NONE of us would make the amateur mistake of answering that question._

_But in the spirit of cooperation, what I WILL tell you is that I do enjoy kids. As corny as it sounds, I think each are gifts from God. And no man alive could look at you and not know what a fabulous mother you'll make one day. I've watched you with Henry and Jack; you virtually glow when you're in their company._

_Now, I suppose it's my turn. What should I ask you...a woman I've wondered about for far longer than was sane?_

_Here's one: Tell me a secret that no one else knows about you._

_I'll be waiting..._

_FBIlvr_

Pursing her lips, Emily shook her head. Now he...whoever he was...wanted her to share secrets? With an, as yet, unidentified male? Even though he was a guy that she cared deeply about, no matter who he might end up being, she was hesitant to go around divulging her innermost thoughts and feelings willy-nilly.

Wracking her brain, she finally settled on a relatively safe topic. Her mother. Taking a breath, she began to type.

_FBIlvr,_

_Well, since you know me so well already, you know I don't share personal confidences easily or often. So, telling you a secret isn't something I take lightly. But, in the spirit of our arrangement, I'll tell you this. It's not really a secret...more like a burning desire._

_As you know, I DO want kids...someday. But, before I bring an innocent baby into the world, I'd like to figure out where I went wrong in my own relationship with my mother. We've always been a distant family...her career and personality made being a normal little girl fairly impossible. And never having a stable home as a child didn't help matters. We were always moving from one post to another as she climbed the international ladder._

_But still, I feel that need for a mother. And, I'd love to be closer to her. Probably a pipe dream...I'll probably have grandchildren before I ever begin to understand her, but there it is. _

_I don't want to make her mistakes...or repeat an established pattern with my own children. So, that's my 'secret'._

_So, by my estimation, it's my turn again, isn't it?_

_Here's my question, my enigmatic friend...Have you ever been in love before?_

_Waiting anxiously to hear from you._

_Em_

Hitting the send tab with a decisive jab of her finger, Emily Prentiss sat back on her sofa and smiled smugly. Gotcha! Whether the recipient of her email realized it or not, she'd just found her way to narrow down her potential suitors. And now, she'd trapped her rat in a maze of his own design. She could already taste sweet revenge on the tip of her tongue.

Don't get cocky, Em, she told herself sternly. This opponent had already proven himself to be a wily one on more than one occasion over the past couple of days...but this time, she believed she'd actually asked a question that might lead her somewhere.

Now, if only the road would lead in the direction that she prayed it did.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **

**THIS IS IT, FRIENDS - THE FINAL DAY TO CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL CRIMINAL MINDS PROFILER'S CHOICE AWARDS ON FANFICTION. NET. YOU HAVE UNTIL 11:59 pm EST ON NOVEMBER 30, 2010 TO LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD! **

**LINKS TO THE FINAL BALLOT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH "CHIT CHAT ON AUTHOR'S CORNER" FORUM OR LINKS LOCATED ON EITHER MY PROFILE PAGE (ilovetvalot) OR MY CO-AUTHOR'S PAGE (tonnie2001969). **

**Please send your votes to the PM listed in the rules (found on the forum) or your ballot can't be counted! **

**Want to win some free Christmas cash? We're giving away a $5 Amazon gift card to the 200th voter in the Profiler's Choice Criminal Minds Fanfic. net Awards (funded by the moderators). We have well over one hundred voters already, so who knows...you could be the 200th and win the awesome Amazon card!**

**Also...since we deeply appreciate everyone who has voted and will vote...we are also giving away another $5 gift card to a lucky voter that we will draw randomly. This could be voter number one..seventy-four...or three hundred! Both gift cards will be sent by email, so you don't have to share any personal information to claim your prize! We will notify the winners by PM when the awards are complete.**

**We also want to take a moment and remind all those participants that have signed up for the Criminal Minds Christmas Fic Gift Exchange that we have just over a month to complete our gifts and publish them for our recipients. If anyone has any questions, please contact us via private message.**

**And finally, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their continued support of our stories. We truly appreciate each review, favorite, alert and private message. It means a lot to us. Please let us continue to hear from each of you!**

* * *

**You've Got Mail**

**Chapter Seven**

Nearly jumping off the couch as her computer dinged unexpectedly, Emily jerked her head toward the sound, her heart pounding. _Get a hold of yourself, Prentiss...this could very well be one of your colleagues idea of joke._

It would be a really, really poor joke, she thought darkly. Perhaps the last the soul ever played, its offense punishable by a painful death… but a joke, nonetheless.

Quickly clicking on her flashing email, Emily held her breath as she eagerly read.

_Define love for me, will you, Emily? _

_Kidding aside, I'll answer your question truthfully. _

_The answer is once._

_Or, perhaps, more accurately, the answer is once before. Only once before have I felt that magical sense of completion simply by sitting in the company of another person. Felt that thrill of seeing the exact qualities in a human being that complemented my own. _

_She was a special woman and I'll always be grateful to her for teaching me how to feel. But, that was a long time ago. Over the years, I've learned some valuable lessons. Among them, I've come to realize that passion and fire do not necessarily go hand in hand with love. Love is comfortable. Stable. Reliable. Oh, passion and fire are part of the package, or at least I believe they could be for us, but when there's genuine LOVE, those ingredients only enhance the overall recipe, making the final food that much more palatable._

_Many see me as hard and unyielding...and yes, I realize that even now, with all my statements, you are narrowing your list of potential candidates, but I need you to know that I've had to cultivate a impenetrable outer shell. Otherwise, I'd never have survived this long. But, underneath that surface is a man like any other. One with needs and desires...and the desperate need to be understood. You've always given me that. That feeling that you understand me...that you can somehow see beyond the mask to the man...sometimes hiding, it's true...below._

Emily's heart softened as she read the words on screen, something within her core loosening...warming. Oh, God, he'd been in love only once before...it had to be, didn't it? Blinking, she tried to refocus her eyes on the lighted screen.

_Opening up was never something that was encouraged in my childhood either...for altogether different reasons than yours. Where your mother was distant...disconnected… my father simply didn't care. Hell, for longer than I care to admit, I wasn't certain I was even capable of loving someone. And then SHE happened. She taught me that I was worthy of being loved and loving in return. She was a wonderful woman, but it wasn't meant to be._

_I'll never forget the things she taught me, though. And I want to have those shared moments with another person again. I want that with you. I want to be a part of something that's greater than myself._

_The real question is...what do you want? Are you interest in pursuing a relationship with a slightly damaged man that's willing to try again?_

_I'm anxiously awaiting your response._

_FBIlvr_

Her heart threatened to explode as she reread the message for the third time. Biting her lip, her fingers faltered over the keyboard as she considered her response. And finally, drawing a deep breath she began to type.

_Dear FBIlvr,_

_Isn't love the ultimate risk? How can I answer your question when I don't know who you are?_

_What I can tell you for certain is that I agree with your astute analysis on love. Passion and fire can only truly burn when genuine love is present. I will say that I've never felt love in the truest sense of the word...but I want to._

_Opening up isn't easy for me, either, as I'm sure you've already figured out. But, with the right man to help me, I think I could be the woman I was meant to be._

_I think the biggest question of all is if YOU'RE willing to take the risk. I want love...but it can't be a cowardly love. I need to touch it, feel it...taste it. I'm overwhelmingly anxious to meet my mysterious admirer. _

_Why don't you give us both the chance to find out if this can go anywhere?_

_Em_

Hitting send, Emily stared blankly at her computer for several long minutes, mentally willing it to ding and say those magic words. Never had she wanted to hear that annoying voice announce, "You've got mail," more in her life than this moment.

And just as she began to give up hope, relegating her secretive would-be suitor to the depths of damnation, she heard that wondrous sound, alerting her that, just perhaps, her hopes weren't in vain. Maybe, just maybe, that elusive happiness was possible after all.

Lunging toward her laptop, Emily's mouth went dry as she read three simple words.

_Answer your door._

Eyes darting towards the entrance to her house, her heart skipped a beat as she heard a firm rap landing against the wood.

He was here! Really, really here. At least, she hoped he was. Ever the agent, Emily quickly checked her waist.

Still armed.

A small part of her might be a dreamer, but she was still a realist at heart. She wasn't approaching that door defenseless. Hand on her holster, she approached, looking through her peephole.

The breath left her lungs in a whoosh and her eyes widened. Throwing open the door, her face creased in a beaming smile, she whispered, "I knew it was you all along."

"I never thought for a second you didn't," he replied with his own happy smile before flipping his cell phone closed and enfolding her in his arms.

_**/***/**_

And seventeen miles away in the FBI headquarters at Quantico, a relieved Kevin Lynch quickly tapped out a terse two word email, sending it to his four waiting colleagues. Its message was simple.

_Mission accomplished._

And grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, he hurried toward his own office door. One member of the BAU team was going to receive a personal reply. And an explanation.

A very, very long detailed explanation.

May God have mercy on his immortal soul because, God knew, Penelope Garcia would not.

_**Finis**_


End file.
